KAMU’s Golden Rules For Rapping At Karaoke 

Having a hard time getting through a whole rap song at KAMU? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Here are four Golden Rules to get you through a rap song at karaoke. 

Your palms are sweaty, knees weak, arms are heavy…

You selected a rap song at karaoke, and then you realize in the middle of the song (or maybe even sooner) that this was the biggest mistake of your life. Okay, maybe that’s being a little dramatic, but it doesn’t take away from the fact that performing a rap song at karaoke can seem fun at first…until you have to actually perform it. Then there’s a bunch of mistakes made, you’re embarrassed, and now you want to crawl under the couch and hide. Fear not, here at KAMU Ultra Karaoke, we know that the main objective is to have a good time and that none of this is meant to be taken seriously. But that doesn’t mean that you don’t want to perform your best, even if it’s a Hip-Hop track. So here are our Golden Rules for rapping at karaoke.

Golden Rule #1: Know What You’re Getting Into

Rap songs can appear deceptively easy, but Hip-Hop in general is a difficult genre to perform. You’re not just grabbing a microphone and swaying from side to side. This is poetry in motion, so you’ve got to be prepared. If you’re going to perform a rap, just know what the mission is, and then go from there.

Golden Rule #2: Choose A Song That You Really Know

It almost seems silly to say this, but it’s true. Sometimes you’re a fan of a song, and then you realize you really only know the hook by heart. For rap songs (especially fast ones), the key is to have a really good grasp of the lyrics already, so that you’re not struggling to read the screen and learn the lyrics on the spot. This is especially ineffective when you’ve had one too many drinks, so pick a song you could still rap and only partially need the screen.

Golden Rule #3: Match Your Song To Your Rap Skill Level

Again, this isn’t like you’re at some global rap battle, but this will save you some embarrassment. The reason being, you don’t want to reach a part of a song, and then have to abort mission because you realize you can’t rap remotely as well as the original artist. So choose something you can vibe to, but also a song you can successfully finish.

Golden Rule #4: Honor Thy Breath Control

The most important part of rapping is breath control. It’s the reason why some emcees can rap incredibly fast without gasping for air. So maybe do a few yoga breaths before you approach the microphone, and rest that diaphragm of yours before you start. It’ll save you from taking a breathing break in the middle of the song.

Golden Rule #5: Have Fun

Above all, that’s the main goal. You can obviously mess up lyrics and have a good laugh. The key is to enjoy yourself, no matter what song you are performing. Remember, you’re here at KAMU to make memories, not win a Grammy. But if you did want to win a Grammy one day, then this is the place to practice. Just saying.